I want to wish all my readers a wonderful Halloween, Samhain, All Saint's Day, Dia de los Muertos, and all the rest! I thought I'd bring out the Seven of Pumpkins today from Kipling West's Hallowe'en Tarot, to provide a little holiday spirit.

Today is a really big day for people like me, who have a more witchy or pagan streak. Samhain is the Witch's New Year, the time of the final harvest, where we look over the past year and what we've grown. Tonight's also the time when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest, and we remember the people who've gone before us. Our ancestors and lost loved ones are still here, watching over us, as we take stock of what we've done and the seeds we'll plant after the winter's through.

Of course, it wouldn't be Halloween without the potential for fear. Taking stock of your year so far can be scary - was it enough? Have your dreams grown into prize-winning pumpkins, or do you feel like they've withered on the vine? It's hard to face "real-life" fear with the same kind of brave face that you take to haunted houses or monster movies. But so often we forget that our fears are there for a reason. Not only do they try and protect us, they come up to show us where our pumpkin patch is weedy or the soil isn't as fertile. They can point the way to where things feel "just not right", so we can make the changes we need to move on to the next life - or just a new year - with no regrets.

It can be a huge and seriously awesome thing to take a look at your harvest. Make a list of everything you've accomplished this year. Spare nothing - the new dress you bought, the projects you started, the milestones of your kids, or the books you read. A lot can happen in a year, and there's still a few months left to go! Leave me a comment and let me know what you've harvested from this year. I'd love to hear from you!